US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio has announced new security and defense cooperation with Greece, including a counterterrorism intelligence-sharing initiative and a partnership between the Greek armed forces and the Florida National Guard.
Rubio made the announcements in Athens during the sixth round of the US-Greece Strategic Dialogue, as Washington seeks to strengthen its relationship with the NATO ally amid conflicts and security challenges across Europe and the Middle East. Rubio is in Athens as part of his three-nation tour of NATO allies.
Rubio’s visit forms part of a wider three-country European tour that began in Iceland and will continue in Portugal. His stop in Athens included the opening session of the US-Greece Strategic Dialogue, a framework for cooperation on defense, energy, regional security and other areas.
Rubio said that Greece remained an important partner for the United States and described the country as a “source of stability in an unstable world.” He said that the alliance had become increasingly important as conflicts and other destabilising developments affect the wider region.
“As you see a world that faces these destabilizing events, you recognize how important this alliance with Greece is to the United States. It is a source of stability in an unstable world.”
Marco Rubio
The US Secretary of state also stressed that European countries should assume greater responsibility for their own defense. He praised Greece for increasing its defense spending and said Athens was on track to allocate 5% of its gross domestic product to defense. “One thing we agree on, for example, is that the nations of Europe need to take on a greater share of the burden in defending their continent, and Greece is doing just that,” Rubio said alongside Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis.
As part of the expanded defense relationship, Greece is joining the US National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program and will be paired with the Florida National Guard. The arrangement is intended to strengthen military interoperability through training, exchanges and cooperation between the two forces.
The partnership provides a framework for cooperation in areas including military training, maritime security, cyber defense, disaster preparedness and infrastructure protection.
Rubio also announced a new memorandum of understanding establishing a joint security programme between the United States and Greece to strengthen information sharing between law enforcement agencies on counterterrorism. He said that the initiative would help both countries respond to common security threats.
The cooperation also extends to the protection of cultural heritage. Rubio said that the US State Department, Department of Homeland Security, FBI and Customs and Border Protection are working with Greek authorities to disrupt networks involved in the illicit trafficking of antiquities.
Greece Signals Maritime Support for Hormuz Peace Efforts
The discussions also covered major international conflicts, including the war in Ukraine, the Middle East and the security situation around the Strait of Hormuz.
Gerapetritis stated that Greece was prepared to cooperate with the United States and provide maritime assistance in the Strait of Hormuz if a viable peace process was established there. Greece has significant maritime interests and has continued to emphasize the importance of maintaining safe commercial shipping routes.
On Gaza, Gerapetritis expressed support for the 20-point plan. “The 20-point plan should go ahead to phase B in order to ensure viable peace and reconstruction in Gaza,” he said, adding that actions, particularly in the West Bank, that create obstacles to that objective should cease.
Defense cooperation between Athens and Washington was also highlighted during the talks. Gerapetritis pointed to Greece’s ongoing modernization of its F-16 fleet to the Viper configuration and the planned integration of F-35 fifth-generation fighter jets into the Greek Air Force.
Beyond defense, the two countries discussed energy and economic cooperation. Rubio emphasized efforts to expand US liquefied natural gas shipments to Greece and support the development of regional gas and electricity interconnectors. The discussions reflect Greece’s growing role as an energy transit point for Europe and Washington’s interest in expanding energy cooperation with European allies.
The two sides also addressed broader regional security concerns and the role of Greece within NATO. Athens provides important military facilities for US and allied operations in the Eastern Mediterranean and participates in international maritime security efforts.
The visit comes as Washington presses European allies to contribute more to their own defense while simultaneously expanding bilateral security relationships. For Greece, the new agreements provide additional opportunities for military training, intelligence cooperation and coordination with the United States.
The announcements therefore add new layers to an already longstanding US-Greece alliance, with both governments seeking closer cooperation on defense, counterterrorism, energy and regional security as instability continues to affect the wider European and Middle Eastern regions.
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